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African ColonialismMotivations and Justification
Today’s Goals Understand the Motivations and Justifications of
European Colonization of Africa
Quick Question Imagine that you are an English citizen living
towards the end of the Industrial Revolution. What do you think your interpretation would be of Africans and their cultures? Why?
Would you have any misconceptions about them?
Colonialism A policy when a country rules and dominates over
another country or group of people outside their own borders.
Colonialism Between the 1600s & 1900s, Europeans began to
create colonies in Africa, taking an active role in their governance.
Industrialization The process of developing industry for the creation
of machine made goods and products.
What do you need for industrialization to work?
Reason #1: The Industrial Revolution
During the 1800’s Europe began to industrialize.
What you need for Industrialization to Work A large workforce (check)
Technology (check)
Natural Resources (not enough…)
Markets to Sell goods to (always need more)
European Nations saw Africa as the perfect place to secure those natural resources.
Reason #2: European Superiority
Reason #3: Nationalism
The belief that people should be loyal to their nation- that is, to people who they share a culture and history with.
Reason #4: Missionary Impulses
Berlin Conference Divides Africa
Mad rush for African lands ensues during the late 1800’s
1884-85: 14 European Nations meet at Berlin Conference to divide up Africa between themselves.
No African Leaders were invited…
Scramble for Africa Now its your turn to carve your piece out of
Africa…
Instructions With your group1. Read your assigned group overview 2. Use the maps posted on
tualatinworldhistory.weebly.com to gain an understanding of Africa’s geography.
3. Use the blank map to mark where your country would like to be granted control over.
4. Create two rules to guide the colonization process
5. Create a one minute proposal.
Scramble for Africa Debrief
Was your division of Africa fair? Why or why not?
What were your main concerns while dividing up Africa?
What problems did you have as you divided up Africa?
What have we not discussed today? What elements of this story are missing?
The End Result Africa is divided between the European nations with no
regard for how ethnic or linguistic groups were divided.
So what’s the problem????
Justification #1: “White Man’s Burden”
Bring “civilization” to Africa
Bring religion to Africa
Justification #2: Social Darwinism
Charles Darwin’s theory of “survival of the fittest.”
Applied to human societies and races.
Europeans considered more evolved and therefore better.
Social Darwinism Chart
